[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 16903]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        SPEAKER BOEHNER TRIBUTE

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. KEN CALVERT

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 29, 2015

  Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor and privilege to pay tribute 
to my friend, John Boehner, who has proudly served as Speaker of the 
House of Representatives since January 5, 2011.
  As many people know, Speaker Boehner is the son of a bartender and 
one of 12 children. The people of southwest Ohio have elected him to 
serve as their Representative in the House on thirteen separate 
occasions.
  During his service in the House, Speaker Boehner has distinguished 
himself by regularly stepping forward to tackle important challenges 
facing his Ohio constituents and the country.
  John Boehner was elected to serve as House GOP Conference Chairman 
following the election of a historic Republican majority in 1992. As 
Conference Chairman, Boehner played a key role in the adoption of the 
Balanced Budget Act, which limited spending, helped grow the economy, 
and resulted in the first budget surplus in decades. He played a 
central role in shaping and fulfilling the Contract with America.
  Later while serving as Chairman of the House Education and Workforce 
Committee, Boehner co-wrote the bill establishing the first private 
school choice program in the District of Columbia, and worked to ensure 
historic parental choice provisions were included in the bipartisan No 
Child Left Behind Act.
  In 2007, John was chosen by his Republican colleagues to serve as the 
House Republican Leader. In that role, he led the charge and a unified 
Republican Conference in opposition to job-killing bills like ObamaCare 
and a cap-and-trade energy tax, as well as the opposition to the 
wasteful Obama-Pelosi economic stimulus bill of 2009.
  As Speaker of the House, John Boehner has continued his legacy of 
reform. The House has enacted landmark changes that increase 
transparency and give Americans access to data and information that it 
never had before. Speaker Boehner also oversaw the first meaningful 
change to entitlement programs in many years as well as significant 
reductions to the reckless spending levels that became the norm under 
the previous Democratic majority.
  Earlier this year, Speaker Boehner's longtime goal of having a Pope 
address Congress for the first time was realized when Pope Francis 
addressed a Joint Meeting of Congress. That historic address was a 
source of inspiration for Congress and the nation, and was a clear 
crowning achievement for Speaker Boehner.
  It is clearly evident by his record that Speaker Boehner has been one 
of the most instrumental and effective members to ever serve in this 
body. However, I must tell you that in my opinion, he is an even better 
person than he is a Member of Congress. John Boehner, and his wife 
Debbie, have become close and dear friends of mine. I will always value 
their friendship, support, and words of encouragement.
  Thank you, Speaker John Boehner, for your service as a happy warrior. 
Godspeed, old pal.

                          ____________________